Clinics & Services

All of our GPs are highly qualified and several have taken postgraduate courses leading to extra qualifications. We run specialised clinics for the local NHS authorities, and see patients from other GP’s surgeries who have been referred to us. We have a number of doctors on the Cestria Team who are qualified as GPSIs. This means that they have a post-graduate qualification giving them extra expertise in specific areas. At the moment we run GPSI clinics in the following:

Skin Surgery - and other surgical procedures, including removal of some skin cancers

We have more GPs currently engaged on various other GPSI qualification courses.

Other services

Ante-Natal Clinic (Tuesday 13:00 – 16:00)

The practice midwives and a GP are present to provide care and advice during pregnancy. Most antenatal care is shared between the GP surgery and local hospital antenatal clinic. Post-natal exams are provided 6 weeks after delivery.

Children’s Checks and Vaccinations(Thursdays)

Developmental checks for 8 week old babies are carried out by a GP on Thursdays. Appointments will be sent out automatically when checks are due.

Your child will be invited for routine vaccinations when these are due, or please enquire if you have any questions about the standard schedule.

Our health visitor team is available for telephone calls on 03000- 268640

Family Planning Clinic

These clinics cover pill prescriptions, coil and cap fittings, injections for contraception, post-coital contraception (“morning after pill”), breast checks and sterilisation discussion and referral. We prefer our patients to attend the Family Planning Clinic for all family planning matters including provision of condoms. Post-natal examinations are often also performed at this clinic.

Travel Advice Clinic

Our nurses provide comprehensive travel health advice using a special computer program. You will be asked your travel plan details and will receive a printed guidance sheet and, if you wish, vaccinations as appropriate. We make a charge for this service if the required advice is complex or if treatment is not covered by the NHS. More information can be found on the above tab.

Cervical Smears

All women between the ages of 25 and 65 are recommended to have a cervical smear performed every 3 years until the age of 50, then every 5 years until the age of 65. Please contact the nurse receptionist for an appointment or advice regarding arranging a smear test.

Asthma Clinics

Appointments for monitoring and managing asthma are available with the nurse or health care assistant throughout the week. GP appointments are also available.

Diabetic Clinic (Friday 09:00 – 11:30 and 14:00 – 16:00)

This clinic is held most weeks, and is useful for monitoring and as a “one stop” clinic for diabetes management. As well as the doctor and nurses, there is also a specially trained Chiropodist for foot care, and on the spot blood testing with immediate results to help decide if any changes in medication are needed. Diabetic advice is available from the doctors and nurses at any time during the week if needed.

Cestria’s own patients Minor Surgery clinic

Minor surgical procedures are undertaken in the surgery by suitably trained and experienced GPs.

Physiotherapy

A team of physiotherapists work within the Health Centre to treat back, joint and tendon problems. Our physiotherapists are highly qualified and also operate a specialist joint and tendon injection clinic for appropriate cases. Patients need to consult with a GP to be referred to the physiotherapists.

Warfarin (Monday 12:00 – 13:30)

We have a specialist team who operate a warfarin monitoring clinic. The clinic uses on the spot testing for instant readout, prescription advice and also offers a home visiting service for the housebound.

Counsellor (various times)

A counsellor consults within the surgery to help with emotional and psychological problems. Patients need to be referred by a GP.

Travel Vaccinations

If you require any vaccinations relating to foreign travel you need to make an appointment with the practice nurse to discuss your travel arrangements. This will include which countries and areas within countries that you are visiting to determine what vaccinations are required.

There is further information about countries and vaccinations required on the links below

It is important to make this initial appointment as early as possible - at least 6 weeks before you travel - as a second appointment will be required with the practice nurse to actually receive the vaccinations. These vaccines have to be ordered as they are not a stock vaccine. Your second appointment needs to be at least 2 weeks before you travel to allow the vaccines to work.

Some travel vaccines are ordered on a private prescription and these incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge. This is because not all travel vaccinations are included in the services provided by the NHS.

Travel Health Questionnaire

To help us offer the appropriate advice, please fill out the online form before coming to see the nurse.

The fees charged are based on the British Medical Association (BMA) suggested scales and our reception staff will be happy to advise you about them along with appointment availability.

Dear Younger Patient,

At Cestria we try to be as helpful, friendly and approachable as we can for young people. So, from roughly mid-teen years on ….

Did you know:

If there is something personal or embarrassing you want to discuss, it’s up to you if you come to your appointment on your own, with a parent, a friend or with another trusted adult.

We have male and female doctors at the surgery. When you book an appointment you can ask if you have a preference for who you see.

Contraception is provided FREE.

Anything you discuss with your doctor is CONFIDENTIAL and we will not discuss your visit with anyone else without your permission. There are very rare exceptions to this if you or someone else are at risk of serious harm and we would always try to discuss this with you first.

Appointments

You can book appointments a few weeks in advance at a time to suit you. Doctor and Nurse Practitioner appointments are Mon-Fri between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm and until 8 pm on Thursdays.

If it is more urgent then you can leave us a phone number and one of the doctors or nurse practitioners will call you back that day. Some problems can be sorted out over the phone or you may be offered an appointment on that or the next day.

You can make an appointment at reception, or telephone 0191 388 7771, or if you are over 16 you can talk to reception staff about registering to book appointments online.

Let’s talk about sex!

We are quite used to talking about sex. Whether it is to discuss your options for contraception, worries about STI’s (sexually transmitted infections) or if you are struggling with emotions about your sexuality we can provide advice and support.

Feeling down or worried?

It is common for all of us to go through times of feeling low or anxious but if this is becoming a problem for you, or if feelings of stress or anger are becoming too much, please book an appointment so we can talk things through.

Useful contacts:

www.childline.org or Freephone 0800 1111 - a free, confidential service for anyone under 19 to provide advice and support.

www.themix.org.uk or Freephone 0808 808 4994 - free information and support for under 25’s in the UK.